Introduction

The electricity and gas industries are the most important energy systems, and providing the balance between supply and demand is in the interest of the whole society. The market operator (OTE, a.s.) is obliged to process and submit - to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, the Energy Regulatory Office, the transmission system operator and the distribution system operator - a report on anticipated future electricity and gas consumption and the ways of securing the balance between the supply of, and demand for, electricity and gas. The outputs concerning the solutions, in the form of reports, presentations at meetings of professional groups and other informational material, provide support to the decision-making sphere of the Czech Republic for political decisions about the future concept of the energy industry. This report is a brief summary for the public; detailed results of the study were submitted to statutory bodies.

The study analysed data available since September 2018 and was issued in December 2018.

The aim of the Long-term Balance is to examine in detail the operation of Czech electricity industry within possible paths of development, to find the problematic or dangerous trends, and to set limits and risks for the period from 2019 to 2050, all through case studies. Long-term Balance does not foresee the development of electricity and gas industry as it depends on many factors and political decisions; it has no ambition to predict the state of Czech energy industry in 2050, it does not comment on the likelihood of the development according to the individual case studies and it does not aim to find the single optimum path of development of the Czech energy either. The four case studies presented in the study are based on interrelated assumptions and shows the possible impacts of each decision on the chosen energy mix. The Long-term Balance makes possible to identify the risks and suggest ways to deal with them. The analyses are based on available statistics and data provided by individual entities, on the State Energy Policy and the related National Action Plan, and further on the ten-year development plan of the energy infrastructure operators. In the Long-term Balance, these materials are placed in the current European and global context; furthermore, the development proposed in these documents is analysed, and measures that would allow its realization are suggested. Interconnected solutions for the electricity, heating and gas industries are prerequisites for a quality elaboration of the Long-term Balance, and also an initial step to successful sector coupling. The central topic of the study in 2018 is the operation of the existing nuclear power plants and the building of new ones in the Czech Republic. The study's conclusions are divided into a medium-term horizon (until 2030) and a long-term horizon (by 2050).

For the elaboration of the document, data from the market participants of September 2018 were used. We would like to thank all market participants who have contributed with the necessary information. Without this cooperation, studies of this type could not be made.